What are easy and inexpensive ways to change the sound of my humbucking or single coil pickups?
There are several fun things you can do to your pickups. You can change the length of your height adjust screws in your traditional style humbucker. The original screws are 5/40 Fillister head machine screws. They are 3/4″ long. if you use 1/2″ long screws the sound will be a little brighter. You could use a 5/40 thread socket head cap screws instead of the Fillister and for the stud side of the bobbin use a straight socket head. The different screw heads and lengths can change the magnetic field pattern and strength to the strings. Changing the bar magnets in your pickup can change your sound. Make sure you keep the standard .5″ width. The magnet can be a little longer (from 2.25″ to about 2.5″ in length) and the thickness can range from .125″ to about .250″. When using a thicker magnet you need to use the same thickness shim to keep the coils level with each other. Magnetizing the bar magnet after it’s assembled in the pickup will change the tone and output of the pickup. The pickup
